Jerusalem, Israel
FEBRUARY 2019 PRAYER UPDATE
Israel and the Nations
GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITIY/
ISRAELI ELECTIONS:
Israel is in the
midst of election campaigns with various political parties vying for the vote
of Israeli citizens. Elections will take place throughout the country on April
9th. In Israel there is no absentee ballots allowed.
The first public
appearance of former Israeli Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, whose party is called
Resilience, occurred on Tuesday, January 29, 2019. His campaign speech put him
in the running as a significant contender to current Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu. Gantz is taking a centrist approach with a similar platform
as that of Yesh Atid party leader, Yair Lapid. The two centrists are
negotiating on an agreement which may result in them running on a “joint list”,
and uniting other centrist parties. This would constitute a challenge to the
Likud and Israel’s right-wing parties.
Israel’s
Attorney-General Avichai Mandelbit announced that he will decide, before the April
9th elections, on whether to indicate Netanyahu or not. This could happen as
early as February 21st. (On February 20th, the
registration of lists of candidates who will be running in the election ends).
If Netanyahu has to attend indictment hearings before the election, this will
hurt his chances of becoming prime minister for another term of office. (His
wife is also under an indictment with a pending court trial coming up).
In the meantime,
Netanyahu is considering the idea of uniting and integrating Israel’s various
right-wing parties under his Likud party leadership banner. There is infighting
in the Likud, with popular leaders vying for top positions in the party, as the
possibility of Netanyahu losing his popularity increases, because of the probable
indictment.
The main concern
for the Israeli public today is security. Two IDF generals, Gantz and Moshe
Yaalon are running together in the election, with a third possibility that
another IDF general, Gaby Ashkenazi could join them on a “joint” list. This
shows the serious emphasis being placed on Israel’s security by the candidates.
Regarding the
domestic agenda there are some issues of morality that various political
parties will be deciding whether to adopt or not as part of their platform. One
of these issues has to do with legalizing homosexual parenthood by allowing
surrogate women to bear their children. As
Israelis go to the polls, PRAY that they will have clarity on what each party
is promoting, and that they will choose parties that want to enact just laws
that honor God and His commandments.
PRAYER POINTS:
*To whomever becomes the next Prime
Minister of Israel, DECLARE EXODUS 31:3:
“AND, I HAVE FILLED HIM WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD, IN WISDOM, WITH
UNDERSTANDING, AND WITH KNOWLEDGE, AND WITH ALL KINDS OF SKILLS…”
*The Lord God Almighty alters and changes
times and seasons. He controls the course of world events. He gives rulers
their power, and takes it away, as He chooses. He removes kings and raises up
other kings. He establishes the governmental leadership that He wants in place.
*DECLARE, DANIEL 2:21: “YOU LORD ARE THE SOURCE OF WISDOM. YOU
IMPART WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE TO THOSE WHO HAVE UNDERSTANDING -- TO THOSE WHO ARE
DISCERNING AND HAVE INSIGHT.
IN THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL, YOU HAVE
POSITIONED THOSE YOU WANT IN AUTHORITY TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR PURPOSES. IN THIS
TIME OF UNCERTAINTY AND INSTABILITY IN THE ISRAELI POLITICAL REALM, ESTABLISH
THE NEW SEAT OF GOVERNMENT IN THE LAND. CAUSE THOSE WHO WALK IN YOUR WAYS, AND
EMBRACE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE, TO BE ELECTED ON APRIL 9TH, IN
JESUS NAME.”
*Regarding Netanyahu, and his family, PRAY
for the Lord to give him and his legal counsel wisdom.
JAMES 1:5: “NOW, IF ANY OF YOU LACKS WISDOM, HE SHOULD
ASK GOD, WHO GIVES GENEROUSLY TO ALL WITHOUT FINDING FAULT, AND IT WILL BE
GIVEN TO HIM.”
PSALM 31:15: “MY
TIMES ARE IN YOUR HANDS; DELIVER ME FROM MY ENEMIES AND FROM THOSE WHO PURSUE
ME.”
PSALM 75:6-7: “FOR
EXALTATION COMES NOT FROM EAST OR WEST OR OUT OF THE DESERT; BUT, IT IS GOD WHO
JUDGES; HE BRINGS ONE DOWN AND EXALTS ANOTHER.”
DECLARE GOD’S SOVEREIGN PROMISES OVER THE
NETANYAHU FAMILY; PLANS FOR THEIR WELFARE, AND NOT FOR CALAMITY; TO GIVE THEM A
FUTURE AND A HOPE. PRAY THAT THEY WILL CALL UPON THE LORD AND COME TO HIM, AND
HE WILL LISTEN AS THEY SEEK HIM AND FIND HIM, WHEN THEY SEARCH FOR HIM WITH ALL
THEIR HEART. THIS IS ACCORDING TO JEREMIAH 29:11-12.
*PRAY for Israeli Attorney-General Avichai
Mandelbit who has the power and the timing in his hands to decide if and when
to indict Netanyahu. Intercede that Mandelbit will take up this mantle in the
way Solomon did, with great humility:
1 KINGS 3:9: “THEREFORE
GIVE YOUR SERVANT AN UNDERSTANDING AND DISCERNING HEART TO GOVERN AND JUDGE
YOUR PEOPLE, AND TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG/GOOD AND EVIL. FOR WHO
IS ABLE TO GOVERN THIS GREAT PEOPLE OF YOURS?”
Lord we DECREE Your Word that says in ROMANS
13:1: “EVERYONE MUST SUBMIT
HIMSELF TO THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES; FOR THERE IS NO AUTHORITY EXCEPT THAT WHICH
IS FROM GOD. THE AUTHORITIES THAT EXIST HAVE BEEN APPOINTED BY GOD.”
*God of Israel, we pray that your citizens
will choose leaders who want to obey your commandments and will not succumb to
the gay rights agenda.
Your Word says in PROVERBS 8:12-15: “I, WISDOM,
DWELL TOGETHER WITH PRUDENCE; I POSSESS KNOWLEDGE AND DISCRETION. TO FEAR THE
LORD IS TO HATE EVIL; I HATE PRIDE AND ARROGANCE, EVIL BEHAVIOR AND PERVERSE
SPEECH. COUNSEL AND SOUND JUDGEMENT ARE MINE; I HAVE INSIGHT, I HAVE POWER. BY
ME KINGS REIGN, AND RULERS ISSUE DECREES THAT ARE JUST; THEY ENACT JUST LAWS.”
LORD, RULERS LEAD WITH YOUR HELP, AND
NOBLES MAKE RIGHTEOUS JUDGEMENTS. MAY THE LEADERS OF ISRAEL SUBMIT THEIR
DECREES, THEIR LAWS, AND THEIR STATUES TO YOU. AND, EMBRACE GOOD, MORAL, AND
UPRIGHT BEHAVIOR, ACCORDING TO YOUR SCRIPTURES.
*WE DECLARE: DANIEL 2:20, “BLESSED BE THE NAME OF
GOD FOREVER AND EVER, FOR WISDOM AND POWER BELONG TO HIM!”
RUMORS OF WAR:
During this time
of uncertainty in Israel, there are daily sounds of Israeli Air Force jets
practicing in the skies. There are also signs that the Israeli government is
preparing for war with its neighbors. Below are statements that Netanyahu has
made over the past week that indicate the preparations taking place within the
army, although we do not hear of reservists being called up for duty; nor,
anything recent about citizen preparations on the home front.
On February 3rd, at Netanyahu’s weekly cabinet meeting, he
said:
"Over the weekend we began building the above-ground barrier along
the Gaza border. The barrier will prevent terrorists from Gaza from penetrating
into our territory on the ground…. I would also like to make it clear: If the
quiet is not maintained in Gaza, we will make the decisions even in the
elections period and will not hesitate to act."
Netanyahu also stated:
"In Iran today they are marking 40 years since the Islamic
revolution and are trying to boast about a new missile. Iran openly declares
its intention to destroy the state of Israel… I have a clear message to the
tyrants of Tehran: ‘We know what you are doing and where you are doing it. We
will continue to take action against Iran with all the tools at our disposal in
order to ensure the security and future of Israel.’”
On Sunday, Iran claimed that it had mounted new precision-guided warheads atop their most advanced and
longest-range missiles, which are capable of reaching both Israel and American
military bases in the Gulf.
Netanyahu attended a surprise inspection of the IDF Reserve Division
Emergency Supply Depot at Syrkin Base on Wednesday, January 30, 2019. The
surprise inspection was designed to evaluate both the readiness of the unit
to carry out its wartime mission and its ability to transition quickly from
routine to emergency.
Netanyahu stated:
"From what I have managed to see the command and equipment are
ready, and stocks are full.
Beyond this there is also an orderly plan of how to take soldiers
who have just arrived here, and bring them to the front as quickly as possible
with minimal mishaps. While there certainly are things here that need
improving, overall I think that the readiness here is very good."
I think that the forces that will come here with great strength and
will express this strength on the battlefield. The IDF is also prepared for
both defense and a crushing attack."
PRAYER POINTS:
PRAY THAT PRIME MINISTER
NETANYAHU, ACTING AS ISRAEL’S DEFENSE MINISTER, WILL INQUIRE OF THE LORD IF AND
WHEN TO GO TO WAR AGAINST ISRAEL’S ENEMIES. LORD, WE PRAY THAT, ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL, IT WOULD NOT AFFECT
ISRAEL’S UPCOMING ELECTIONS ON APRIL 9TH.
ECCLESIASTES 3:8, SPEAKS OF A TIME OF WAR AND A TIME OF PEACE. IT
IS UP TO YOU, GOD, TO DETERMINE WHAT TIME WE ARE IN NOW, AND TO GIVE
UNDERSTANDING TO THE LEADERS OF ISRAEL.
THANK YOU THAT THE IDF IS
PREPARED FOR CONFLICT IN THE FUTURE. WE ASK YOU TO FORTIFY THE TROOPS WITH ALL
SUPPLIES THEY WILL NEED; TO ORGANIZE THE UNITS MOST EFFECTIVELY; TO BRING ORDER
TO THOSE IN COMMAND; TO KEEP ALL WATCHMEN ALERT IN ISRAEL’S WATCHOWERS, IN
YESHUA’S NAME.
WE DECLARE, ACCORDING TO PSALM
144:1-2: “BLESSED BE THE LORD, MY ROCK, WHO TRAINS MY HANDS FOR WAR, AND MY
FINGERS FOR BATTLE. HE IS MY LOVING DEVOTION AND MY FORTRESS; MY STRONGHOLD
AND MY DELIVERER. HE IS MY SHIELD, IN WHOM I TAKE REFUGE, WHO SUBDUES PEOPLE
UNDER ME.”
PSALM 3:3: “BUT YOU, O LORD, ARE A SHIELD AROUND ME, MY
GLORY, AND THE ONE WHO LIFTS MY HEAD.”
PSALM 18:39: “YOU HAVE
ARMED ME WITH STRENGTH FOR BATTLE; YOU HAVE SUBDUED MY FOES BENEATH ME.”
(ALSO, SEE: PSALM 18:2; PSALM 28:7; PSALM 59:9; PSALM
91:2; PROVERBS 18:1; 2 SAMUEL 22:35).
WE PROCLAIM PSALM 60:12: “THROUGH GOD, WE SHALL DO VALIANTLY; IT IS HE
THAT SHALL TREAD DOWN OUR ENEMIES.”